Fate Of Water Plan Still Unclear

Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Friday, 23 January 2015 11:10
There won't be any quick decisions about what's next for Greater Vernon's master water plan. Local politicians on the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee met for a couple hours Thursday to talk about the plan in the wake of the failed 70 million dollar borrowing referendum in November. GVAC chair Juliette Cunningham says they went around the table to get director's comments and she let six members of the public, who attended the meeting, a chance to speak as well. Cunningham says directors agreed to take a closer look at the options, and to include public input as part of the process. "(Regional District of North Okanagan) staff is going to come back at the first GVAC meeting in March and lay out a plan with a bit of a timeline on the strategy and options. It seems to me we believe the public should have an opportunity for input." Cunningham says public input isn't mandated, but the committee feels its important to get the public on side, given the results of the referendum where 66% of voters said no to borrowing for six water improvement projects. Cunningham says Interior Health will also be involved in the process. "They will explain to the public why we need that extensive of a plan," she says.